1949 Leitz Centenniel Book
This volume: “The History of the Small Camera up to the Leica” by Erich Stenger was one of several books issued upon the centenary of the Leitz firm in 1949. The final section of the book focused upon the Leica camera and its development. The earlier part of the text concerns smaller format cameras which preceded the Leica. Published only in German, an English translation was later arranged by Fred and Jo Mazzulla; around a half-dozen copies were assembled with the original German on one page, and the English translation on the other. It is presumed that the German versions were removed from their bindings to accomplish this. LHSA owns one of these hybrid books in its archives.
The translation recorded below comes from a mimeographed draft, shared by Jim Lager, of the latter part of the book. The illustrations are scanned from the original German volume.
It seems appropriate to share this oft-told tale of the Leica in a version new to most English speakers at the time of LHSA’s 50th Anniversary. (A very few manuscript edits were made by the editor of this article for clarity’s sake.)
LEICA -- BIRTH AND HISTORY
appearance and evaluation
At the 1925 Spring Fair in Leipzig a small camera attracted general attention and was commended everywhere; it was called a "miniature masterpiece", "original and practical, deserving great merit", "new and excellent"; it was emphasized that the camera had "found particular recognition in photographic circles". It was the LEICA which caused all this commotion; built by the Optical Works Ernst Leitz, in Wetzlar, which for the first time had taken a photographic hand camera into their production line. After the name "Barnack-Camera" had first been considered (but who knew Oskar Barnack, the designer, outside the firm?) the name LECA (LEITZ-Camera was decided upon, but was changed shortly before publication to LEICA, which sounded far better; it sounded forceful and harsh in contrast to the popular names of the other miniatures which brought out their dainty or playful quality. [Such as Bobette, Photorette, Unette, Amourette, Retinette . . . (and so forth – Editor).]
Thus the name LEICA, in its impressiveness, became an established concept for everyone in the field of photography.
The almost bare objectivity of the first Leitz announcement was in striking contrast with the enthusiastic acceptance of this camera: "This miniature LEICA camera is equipped with a focal-plane shutter and a powerful 1:3:5, f-50mm Leitz Anastigmat ‘Elmax’ lens, and uses motion-picture film. The negative size is 24 x 36mm. Standard motion-picture film is used as negative material. It is contained in a special cartridge and is automatically advanced one frame-which may be watched through the film window [exact translation “am Filmfenster” - Editor] when the shutter is cocked . After the film is used up it is rewound into the cartridge by turning the rewinding button. The full length of the film for one loading is 1.75 meters and is sufficient for 40 exposures."
(top) Oskar Barnack at his working table. (bottom) Oskar Barnack with his patron, Dr. h. c. Ernst Leitz, taken with the UR-LEICA in 1914, on a joint vacation trip through the Black Forest
(top) Oskar Barnack taking experimental pictures with one of the cameras built by him; taken with the UR-LEICA (bottom) One of the first news pictures with the LEICA, taken in January, 1920, floodwaters in Wetzlar.
We should like to reprint here the verdict of a well-known expert which he returned after testing it himself; it was published as early as March 1925 [Fr. Willy Freck in Photofreund 5, 1925, S. 103]: “The motion-picture film daily demonstrates to us what can be done with the material, and if in the motion picture theater the tiny 18 x 24mm. pictures appear sharp on the screen in over-life-size, it would be strange indeed if such a negative could not be enlarged to a good sized photograph.
“In addition, while the motion-picture film is restricted in its width, its length is practically without limit, so that the operator is in a position to choose a section which is fixed as to its height, but may be, varied indefinitely as to its width.
“Now comes the LEICA which uses twice the size of the motion-picture frame, namely 24 x 36mm. The motionpicture film negative material has definite advantages, because it has a finer grain than the plate and permits considerable enlargements. In other words, in the LEICA we have the motion picture film as a basis, and now everything depends on how the problem of using it for photographic purposes has been solved. I may say with full conviction that the LEICA represents the ideal solution. This is no exaggeration! The small format can give satisfaction only if the camera permits the best possible utilization of the negative material, that is, the film must lie absolutely even, the film advance must be safe and dependable, and every picture must be exceedingly sharp, since it is to be considerably enlarged later. A camera which comes up to all these expectations must really be precision-built, or perhaps this term is not even precise enough; we may justly say: it is like a watch movement. One device is built to engage perfectly with the other, very precise, very safe, very practical. Building microscopes for decades must have some effect on all products coming 0ut of that factory . . . now let the amateurs test the LEICA; if my verdict should not be born out by the facts, I have a name to lose: here it is: Fr. Will Frerk.”
oskar barnack
Oskar Barnack hailed from the North of Germany; he was born on November 1, 1879 in Lynow, Brandenburg. His parents later moved to Berlin, where he attended school in Lichterfelde. In his youth he already excelled by his talent for mathematics. He spent his apprenticeship as a mechanic in a workshop for astronomical appliances in Lichterfelde; as journeyman he worked in Saxony, Vienna, Tyrol, and, for a number of years, in Jena. On January 2, 1911, he entered the firm of Ernst Leitz in Wetzlar as a master mechanic and head of the experimental division. Improvements on a motion-picture camera led him to miniature photography, to which he devoted the last twenty years of his life.
It has remained almost unknown that the friendship and benevolence which the then Elder President of the firm, Dr. h. c. Ernst Leitz (1843-1920), bestowed on the sickly Barnack did much to prolong the life and maintain the working capacity of the frail man. A small house in one of the sunniest sites of Wetzlar became Barnack‘s home and frequent recreational trips and, also, vacations spent together with Dr. Leitz, brought back his stamina. Thus the two men could test the UR-LEICA during the time they were together: we possess a number of most valuable remembrances of this time. The old gentleman did not live to see the beginning of the triumphal rise of the LEICA; but his son, Ernst Leitz, the present Elder President of the works, had taken over with energy and foresight the building of the LEICAs, on whose further improvement and perfection Barnack worked until the last days of his life. Recognized and highly regarded by everyone he celebrated his 25th anniversary of working with the firm on January 2, 1936. Only a few days later, on January 16, 1936, Oskar Barnack passed away in Bad Nauheim, where he had gone to seek recovery from pneumonia.
…translation to be continued in Viewfinder Volume 50, Issue 3.